Rome Legal Issues Blog

When you go to the doctor or hospital, you are putting a significant amount of trust in medical professionals. You expect them to be able to correctly diagnose you and administer the treatment you need. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Doctors can make mistakes just as easily as someone else. The difference is, when a doctor makes an error, either due to negligence or recklessness, it can have devastating consequences.

One of the ways that you guard against medical malpractice is to be aware of where you are most at risk. Questioning your doctor about procedures and treatment and even seeking out a second opinion can go a long way to help you avoid becoming a victim. Here are some of the most common types of medical malpractice.

According to current statistics, accidental injuries at work cost over $150 billion every year. Of these expenses, $49.5 billion are attributed to lost wages and lost productive time, while an additional $33.8 billion represents medical costs associated with treating workplace illnesses and accidents. The remaining costs are associated with administrative expenses.

Interestingly, in terms of injuries, the list of most dangerous occupations include some surprises. For example, janitors and those who clean for a living were in the third most dangerous occupation, ranking behind factory workers and truck drivers. Likewise, CNAs and other nursing assistants were ranked the fourth most dangerous occupation when it comes to injuries.

According to a recent study, while Millennial drivers seem to be particularly prone to distracted driving, the issue actually infects all generations of motorists.

For instance, among Millennials, over 85% said that they had talked on their phones while driving. Likewise, over half, 53%, said that they engaged in texting and driving, and about one-third said that they had looked at social media behind the wheel. Millennials are those who were born in the 1980s and 1990s.

Previous posts here have discussed how the United States Food and Drug Administration regulates both medications and medical devices that are on the American market. While the FDA ideally weeds out dangerous products during its approval process, the process does not, and really cannot, stop all unsafe drugs and other medical devices from hitting the shelves. As a result, like other agencies committed to the safety of consumer products, the FDA from time to time issues recalls or, more properly speaking, persuades a manufacturer to voluntarily recall a product.

The best advice to someone who has a recalled drug or device is to follow the manufacturer's instructions. However, it is important for patients in Northern Georgia to pay careful attention to how the FDA classifies its recalls. This information may be helpful to an injured patient when deciding whether to file a medical product liability case down the road.